Automatic stenciling machine



4 Sheets--Sheeil 1 INVENTOR v vZZ/Z ATTORNE T. S. BAUMAN AUTOMATIC STENCILLING MACHINE Filed May 3l, 1941 Dec. 8, 1942? Dec. 8, 1942. T. s. BAUMAN 2,304,725

AUTOMATIC STENCILLNG MACHINE Filed May 3l. 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTOR N Dec. 8, 1942. T, 5 BAUMAN 2,304,725

AUTOMATIC STENCILLING MACHINE Filed May 5l, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORN Dec. 8, 1942. T.v s. BAUMAN I AUTOMATIC STENCILLING MACHINE Filed May 3l, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 maw y 4f 1 a a a j. 7 a o M WD7 a 4 \I 7 0 a m 2, OO e .Q 3 f. .W :HN 8 k a@ m i INVENTOR BW @e ATTORN VPatented Dec. 8, 1942 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE `AU10MA'I .IC STENCILING MACHINE Thomas S. Bauman, Toledo, Ohio. assignor to Libby Glass Company, a corporation oi' Ohio Application May s1, 1941, serial No. 398,012

(ci. i-115) 1 1 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in stenciling machines of the type used in apply- Ving a ceramic or vitreous enamel color to articles of glassware, such as bottles, Jars and tumblers.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of novel mechanism for operating a standard stenciling machine which heretofore has been operated manually. Thus the speed of production may be increased and the operator considerably relieved of fatiguing manual operations.

Another object of the invention is 'the provision of novel means for automatically swinging the stencil screen for decorating an article.

A'further object is the provision of novel automatic means for raising the stencil screen and squeegee to an inoperative position at the end of each decorating stroke. i

A further object of the invention is the provision of mechanism for automatically feeding coloring material to the decorating screen.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a decorating machine of the silk screen stencil type embodying my invention. f

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. I.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevational view taken longitudinally through the machine, the driving chains being indicated by broken lines for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 4 is a rearelevational view of the machine with parts shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a developed view of the screen swinging cam.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the machin in non-decorating position.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the mechanism for automatically feeding the paint or coloring material.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through one of the paint reservoirs taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7^.

The present invention is embodied in a decorating machine of the silk screen stencil type, an example of which is illustrated in Patent #2,146,- 773 to T. H. Sloan, dated Feb. 14, 1939, and to which reference may be had for a. complete description of the apparatus and itsoperation.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 3 in particular, the apparatus comprises generally a table or base i havingilegs Il. The decorating cludes a stencil screen assembly i2 carrying a screen S and la squeegee assembly i3 on which a squeegee S'` is mounted for cooperation with the screen.

A stationary article holder assembly i4 for rotatably supporting an article to be decorated, such as a tumbler T, is mounted on o ne end of the table I0 and projects forwardly thereof so that the ,article supported thereon is positioned beneath the screen S and squeegee S'.

The screen assembly I2 and squeegee assembly i3 are rockable vertically as a unit relative to the article holder I4 and table I0 by means of cam actuated mechanism which includes a horizontal open rectangular frame Il overlying the table i0. This frame is pivoted at its inner or rear end to a pair of horizontal hinge pins iB which are carl ried by upstanding arms I1 on the table i0. The forward portion of this frame i5 is guided in its vertical movement by a pair of guide fingers IB which also function to limit downward movement of the frame relative to the table and article holder. The forward end of the frame supportsA an velongated casting 2li which extends transverse to the length of said f rame and is provided with a longitudinal horizontal opening 2i,A

or slot.- designed to accommodate the screen support. The lower wall or bottom 4of the slot is provided with.a slideway 22 extending lengthwise thereof in which a slide block 28, or cross-head, is mounted. A supporting beam 24 carried by the frame i5 and extending rearwardly thereof inpart provides operative connection between said frame and the screen assembly I2.

This screen assembly i2 is mounted for oscillation horizon-tally relative to the article support i4 to thereby effect the necessary relative movement between `the screen S and an article T which is to be decorated. Moreover, the arc through which the screen S moves must be adjustable to compensate for variations in the taper and diameter of the articles. Accordingly, this assembly includes a radius arm 25 which is formed of channel iron and is connected to the supporting beam 24 by means of an adjustable clamp 26. A portion of this clamp straddles the beam 24 and is secured thereto by a screwl 28 while an upstanding part thereof projects through any one of a longitudinal series of vertical openings 21. By changing the setting of this clamp along the beam 24 and arm 25, it is mechanism which is mounted upon the table inobvious that the arcuate path of movement of the screen S incident -to horizontal swinging of the beam 24 may be regulably controlled. The forward end of the radius arm 25 is attached ings 52 beneath the table.

to the aforementioned slide block 28 and the latter supports the screen S through the medium oi' ay pair of horizontal forwardly projecting arms 29.

The squeegee assembly I3 (Figs. l and 3) in.

cludes Aa forwardly extending supporting arm 30 pivoted for vertical swinging movement on the casting 28 and having a rearwardly extending nger 3l. The squeegee S is adjustably secured within a slot 32 in the arm 30. A roller 33 for engaging the tongue 3I at times is mounted on a bracket 84, the latter having a pair of downwardly extending legs which straddle the beam 24 and radius arm 25 and are secured to the table I0.

At the beginning of each decorating cycle the screen'assembly may of course be at either end o! its stroke. The screen is raised at the end of each stroke (Fig. 6) to permit introduction of a tumbler T into the holder. The raising of the screen a predetermined distance also causes the squeegee to be lifted out of contact therewith by reason of the iinger 3I engaging the roller 33. Raising of the screen and squeegee iassemblies manually is accomplished -by means including a roller 36 carried on a rock arm 31 journalled on a stub shaft 38 in one of the bearing blocks I1 and bearing on the under side of the frame l5. The shaft 38 also carries a second rock arm 39 connected by a rod 40 to a foot operated treadle 4I (Fig. 4) pivoted on the legs I I. Normally when the screen and squeegee are lowered into contact with the article to be decorated by releasing the foot treadle, the screen is moved by hand to complete the decoration.

It is to this end that I have provided mechanism whereby' such decorating movements are accomplished automatically thus relieving the operator of considerable manualv effort and also increasing the productive speed of the machine.

The mechanism for moving the screen through the decorating stroke includes a rotary cam 45 (Figs. 1, 3, and 4) keyed on a horizontal shaft I 46 which is Journalled in bearings at the upper end of a pair of upright members 41 bolted to the table I0. A sprocket 48 on the-shaft 46 is connected by a chain 49 to a sprocket 58 carried on a countershaft I which is journalled in bear- The -countershaft 5I is driven by a motor 53 lwhich is adiustably mounted on a platform 54 supported by the legs II. The motor is connected through a variable speed drive pulley 55 with agear reduction unit 56 which is provided with a take-off sprocket 51. A chain 58 provides driving connection for a sprocket 59 keyed to the countershaft 5I.

The can 45 is provided with a closed path 60 or groove, which will be described in detail presently and in which a roll 6I is adapted to run. The roll is mounted on a slide block 62 which is supported for reciprocation on a pair of slide rodsI 63 secured between the upright members 41- U-shaped bracket 68v which in turnis secured to the rockable frame I5. The rear end of the lever is provided. with a longitudinal slot 69 in which the driving roll 85 is adjustably supported, whereby to permit variation in the extent of motion of the lever. The forward end of this lever is formed with a yoke lliand a pair of horizontal slots 1I (Figs. 2 and 3).

Pins 12 carried by a rotatable trunnion block 13 secured to the radius arm 25 project into the slots and support coil springs 14 (Fig. 2) winch provide a yieldable connection for moving the screen. As the lever 86 moves from side to side, the diiIerence in radii about which the arm 25 swings, is overcome by thev pins 12 moving longitudinally of the slots 1I.

The raising of the screen and squeegee assemblies at the end of each decorating stroke is accomplished by means of a pair 0f cams 15 (Figs. 3 and, 6) keyed on a shaft 16 disposed transversely of the table and supported in bearings 11. Cam rolls 18 for engaging the cams are carried at the lower end of arms 1S which are bolted to and project downwardly from the frame I5. 'I'he cams are continuously rotated by means of sprockets and 8i on the shafts 1 '|6'and 5I respectively (Fig. 2) which are interconnected by a chain 82. The machine operator may-at times manually operate the treadle 4I and connecting rock arms l39 `and 31 to hold the screen in elevated position for wiping on excess coloring material or making other minor adjust-4 ments. i.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the cam 45 is divided roughly into pairs of dwell sections A and traversing sections B. At the end of each section B the swinging movement is momentarily arrestedA as indicated at 84. At -this time the high portion of the cams 15 engages the rolls\ 18 and raises the screen and squeegee. Thecontinuation of the cam path from the section 84 to the following dwell section A produces a slight additional swing or overtravel of the screen after the sequence has been raised out of contact therewith. During the decorating stroke, the squeegee has forced a smallamount of coloring material or enamel ahe'ad of it which is allowed to settle during the dwell period. The overtravel of the screen thus allows the squeegee to lower into the body of enamel prior to the following stroke so that a small amount of the material `will be forced ahead of it for decorating the next article.

In order to maintain an adequate and constant body of enamel on the screen I have provided mechanism for automatically supplying a predetermined amount thereof at each decorating stroke (Figs. 3, 6, 7, and 8). When multiple color designs are to be printed, one or more partitions 85 (Figs. 1 and 6) may be placed in the screen S to separate the diierent colors. As illustrated in Fig. 6, one color may be deposited to the right of the partition and two colors on the left. When two colors are placed side by side a blending eifect is obtained in the printedv design.

The mechanism for supplying the coloring material includes a plurality of pumps 81 removably hinge pin 61 at. the upper end of an inverted 75 supported in a bracket 88 which is secured to the casting 20 and positioned substantially over the squeegee arm 30. Each pump 81 includes a reservoir 98 communicating with a vertically disposed cylindrical chamber 9| which opens through a passage 82 and petcock 93 for direct- 'ing the enamel to the screen. A plunger 94 within the chamber is provided with an upwardly extending stem 9B threaded at its upper end to .receive an adjusting nut 9B. A coil spring l1 between the'nut and the plunger housing hol u Figs. 3 and 6 illustrate two positions of the mechanism for pumping enamel from the reservoir. At each downward stroke of the slide, the plunger is lowered to expel a measured quantity of the enamel. The length of movement of the plunger may be regulated by adjusting the nut 98 to vary the .amount oi! enamel to be discharged onto the screen with each operation.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope OP the appended claims.l

I claim:

1. A stenciling apparatus comprising a radius arm, a stencil screen carried by said arm, a supporting beam to which the arm is pivoted for movement in a horizontal plane, a frame carrying said beam and arm and rockable about a horizontal axis, squeegee mechanism carried lby the frame, an article holder for supporting an article to be decorated inoperative relation with said screen and squeegee, a lever pivoted to the trame and yieldably connected at one end to said radius arm, mechanism for swinging said lever, and means for rocking said frame.

2. A stenciling apparatus comprising a radius arm, a stencil screen carried by said army, a supporting beam to which the arm is pivoted for movement in a` horizontal plane, a frame carrying said beam and arm and rockable about a horizontal axis, squeegee mechanism carried by the frame, an article holder for supporting an article to be 'decorated in operative relation with said screen Vand squeegee, a slide block, a lever pivoted to the frame and yieldably connected at one end to said radius arm, adjustable means connecting the other end of the lever with said slide block, for transmitting motion therebetween, 4mechanism for swinging said lever including a continuously rotating cam, said slide block reciprocated by the cam, and means for rocking said frame.

3. A stenciling apparatus comprisinga radius arm, a stencil screen carried by said arm, a supporting beam to which the arm is pivoted for movement in a horizontal'plane, a frame carrying said beam and arm and rockable about a horizontal axis, squeegee mechanism carried by the frame, an article holder for supporting an article to be decorated in operative relation with said screen and squeegee, a slideblock, a lever pivoted to the frame and yieldably connected at one end to said radius arm, adjustable means connecting the other end ci' the lever with said slide block, for transmitting motion therebetween, mechanism for swinging said lever including a continuously rotating cam, said slide block reciprocated by the cam, and means for rocking said frame, including Acam rollers carried on the lower side of said frame, and continuously rotating cams operatively engaging said rollers.

4. A stenciling apparatus comprising a tiltable Trame, a supporting beam secured thereto, a ral the lever, a slide block engaging said roller, a

rotary cam for reciprocating said block and thereby swinging said lever, means for tilting the frame and means for continuously rotating the cam.

5. A stenciling apparatus comprising a tiltable frame, a supporting beam secured thereto, a radius arm pivoted on said beamfand l,oscillatable horizontally, ascreen carried on the free end oi' said-arm, an article holder adapted to support an article to be decorated in contact with the screen, a squeegee arm above and pivoted to the frame for vertical swinging movement, a

, squeegee carried by the arm for contact with said screen, a lever disposed in substantially parallel relation to and above the radius arm and pivoted for horizontal swinging motion, means providing yieldable connection between uone end of the lever and the radius arm, a roller mounted for longitudinal adjustment on the other end of the lever, a slide block engaging said roller,

" a rotary cam tor reciprocating said block and dius arm pivoted on said beam and oscillatable thereby swinging said lever, means for tilting the frame including a roller carried thereby, a rotaryr cam engaging the "roller, and means for continuously rotating both cams in synchronism.

6. In a decorating machine of the silk screen stencil type, an article holder, a stencil screen, an oscillatable support for the screen, a tiltable frame carrying said support, a squeegee adapted with said screen to decorate an article supported by the holder, means for oscillating the screen horizontally including a lever connected at one end to the support and pivoted for horizontal swinging motion, a roller carried by the other end of said lever, a slide engaging said roller, a rotary cam operable for moving the slide thereby` swinging said lever and screen, a rotary cam for tilting the frame, and means for imparting continuous rotation to said cams.

7. A stenciling apparatus comprising a tiltable frame, a supporting beam secured thereto, a radius arm pivoted on said beam and oscillatable horizontally, a screen carried 'on the free end of said arm, an article holder adapted to support anv article to be decorated in contact with the screen, a squeegee arm above and pivoted to the frame for vertical swinging mpvement, a squeegee carried by the arm for contact with said screen, said squeegee being mounted for tilting move- Iment independently of vsaid frame, a lever dis` posed in substantially parallel relation to and above the radius arm and pivoted for horizontal swinging motion, means providing yieldable connection between one end of the lever and the radius arm, a roller mounted for longitudinal adjustment on the other end of the lever, a slide block engaging said roller, a rotary cam for reciprocating said block and thereby swinging said lever, means for tilting the frame and means for continuously rotating the cam.

8. A stenciling apparatus comprising a tiltable trame, a supporting beam secured thereto, a radius arm pivoted on said beam and oscillatable gee carried by the arm for contact with saidv screen, said squeegee being mounted for tilting movement independently of said frame, a lever disposed in substantially parallel relation to and above the radius arm and pivoted for horizontal swinging motion, means providing yieldable connection between one end of the lever and the radius arm, a roller mounted for longitudinal adjustment on the other end of the lever, a slide block engaging said roller, a rotary cam for reciprocating said block and thereby swinging said lever, means for tilting the frame, means for continuously rotating the cam, and means for automatically supplying enamel to the screen for decorating an article.

9. A stenciling apparatus comprising a tiltable frame, a supporting beam secured thereto, a radius arm pivoted on said beam and osciliatable horizontally, a screen carried on the free end of said arm, an article holder adapted to support an article to be decorated in contact with the screen, a squeegee arm above and pivoted to the frame for vertical swinging movement, a squeegee carried by the arm for contact with said screen, said squeegee being mounted for tilting movement independently of said frame, a lever disposed in substantially parallel relation to and above the radius arm and pivoted for horizontal swinging motion, means providing yieldable connection between one end of the lever and the radius arm, a roller mounted for longitudinal adjustment on the other end of the lever, a slide block engaging said roller, a rotary cam for reciprocating said block and thereby swinging said lever, means for tilting the frame, and means operable in response to tilting of the frame for supplying a predetermined quantity of enamel to the screen for decorating an article, said last named means including a pump, and linkage connecting said pump and a stationary abutment on said machine.

10. A stenciling apparatus comprising a frame tiltable about a horizontal axis, a horizontal supporting beam secured to the frame, a radius arm pivoted on said beam near one end thereof and oscillatable in a horizontal plane directly over the beam, a stencil screen carried at the other end of the arm, a stationary article holder adapted to support an article indecorating relation with the screen, a squeegee arm-pivoted on the frame over the holder and movable vertically independently of the frame, a squeegee carried by thearm i'or decorating contact with the screen, a lever pivoted on vthe frame in substantially parallel relation with the radius arm, a`yieldable connection between said lever and radius arm, a roller adjustably carried by the lever, a pair of stationary uprights disposed rearwardlyv of the frame on either side of said rock arm, a slide block mounted for reciprocation between said uprights and engaging said roller, a cam rotatably mounted between the uprights and adapted to reciprocate the slide thereby causing oscillation of the lever and radius arm to move the screen through a decorating stroke, means for tilting the frame including rollers on the lower side thereof, rotary cams engaging the rollers to tilt the framein synchronism with the movements of said arm and screen, means for continuously rotating said cams, and means operable in response to tilting of said frame for automatically supplyingapredetermined amount of enamel to the screen for decorating an article.

11. Stenciling apparatus comprising an article holder, a stencil screen assembly including a screen disposed horizontally above the article holder, a squeegee assembly including a squeegeel positioned above the screen for vertical movement into contact with the screen, a mechanism including a continuously rotating cam for oscillating the screen horizontally and an additional cam for tilting the screen and squeegee at intervals relative to the article holder, and cam mechanism actuated in response to tilting of the screen for elevating the squeegee relative to the screen. 4

THOMAS S; BAUMAN. 

